Activities & Entertainment for Kids in Lima

Peruvians are very child-friendly, but...

Generally Peruvians are very child-friendly. Unfortunately many cities in Peru, especially Lima, are far from that. The lack of adequate infrastructure and child orientated thinking may be the main reasons for that. Anyhow if you have a closer look, you find some great places for children of all ages that make their visit to the capital of Peru an unforgettable adventure. Below find some suggestions on how and where to entertain you kids while staying in Lima.

Be it a visit to one of the numerous museums, a place where you can enjoy the local wildlife, a short stop at a park or playground, a trip to the beach or even a short stay over at one of the family resorts around Lima, you can be sure that your kids (and you) will enjoy their time and have a lot of fun!

Zoos and Farms in Lima (places to watch animals):

The Parque de las Leyendas is Lima's traditional zoo. The zoo itself is focusing on the Peruvian flora and fauna. It's divided into the three principle climatic regions of Peru: costa, sierra and selva (coast, highlands and jungle). Animals from all over Peru can be observed here. The coastal region is represented by pelicans, cormorants, sea lions, penguins and turtles; the highlands by llamas, vicunas, guanacos, pumas, condors and owls; the jungle by monkeys, jaguars, snakes, toucans, parrots, coatis and crocodiles.

The small area dedicated to the international animals houses animals like lions, giraffes, hippos, zebras, buffalo, bears, tigers and ostriches. There's also a "baby zoo" for young animals. Don't miss the Mina Modelo, a replica of the interior of a mine, the small Museo del Petroleo and the Museo Celestino Kalinowski displaying among others a beautiful collection of butterflies. Over all the Parque de las Leyendas is an ideal place to spend a day watching animals, learning more about the Peruvian history and ancient cultures or just relaxing and enjoying the cactus garden, picnic area, playground, horse riding, a small boat trip on the artificial lagoon, the unique flora and of course the food in one of the restaurants. It is an amazing natural treasure within the chaotic 8 million metropolis and a great chance to learn about Peru's rich biodiversity and Lima's ancient past.

Read more... (Zoos in Lima)

Av. Las Leyendas block 5, San Miguel, Lima

http://www.leyendas.gob.pe/

Mon to Sun 09.00 am to 06.00 pm

Entry fees: Mon to Fri for Kids S/. 4.00 and Adults S/. 8.50, Sat and Sun for Kids S/. 4.50 and Adults S/. 9.00

Top

The Parque Zoologico Huachipa is a nice place for adults and kids to chill out and enjoy a day. The zoo is a nicely arranged refuge for over 2000 animals of more than 300 species. Next to the 'international' animals are many indigenous Peruvian animals (monkeys, pelicans, vicuñas, lamas, different birds, parrots, crocodiles, fish, turtles and many more). One of the newer additions to the zoo is the 'Sea World'. In three exhibition areas visitors can see penguins, otters, sea lions and pelicans.

Read more... (Zoos in Lima)

The Parque Zoologico Huachipa has large natural and recreational areas, including small, clean and nicely maintained areas for the animals, gardens with over 600 species of exotic, native and endangered plants, a bonsai garden, a cactus garden and a garden for succulent plants. Visitors can enjoy the picnic area, the restaurant, the small lagoon for a boat trip and kids will love a train ride around the zoo or the inviting playground with an interesting pirate boat.

Av. Las Torres, at 9.5km of Carretera Central, Ate-Vitarte, Lima

http://www.zoohuachipa.com.pe/

Mon to Sun 09.00 am to 05.30 pm

Entry fees: Kids S/. 6.00 and Adults S/. 10.00

Top

La Granja Villa is sort of a petting zoo where children can learn a lot about farming and local animals. The kids are given a small basket with food to feed the numerous animals like cows, chickens, pigs, sheep, goats, horses and ponies, rabbits, llamas and alpacas, monkeys and many more. Additionally the Granja Villa offers a small amusement park with jumping castles, slides, climbing walls, a small "roller coaster", boats for a ride in the lagoon, a pirate boat, different other kiddy rides and a swimming pool.

The Granja El Arriero is a petting zoo where your kids can be a farmer for a day. They can feed all kinds of farm animals, learn how to milk a cow, plant seeds, play in the hay. There are as well horse rides, a lagoon with ducks and goose, a small playground and many other interesting things to do and see for the little ones.

Parks and Playgrounds in Lima:

Over the last few years the municipality of Lima and the different district municipalities put great efforts into enhancing the urban image. Among many other things Lima's old parks were remodeled and some new green areas were created. Today you can find many great parks in Lima, some well-known others hidden, some big and full of history others tiny. Anyhow if you need a place to relax, have a picnic lunch in a peaceful environment, have some fun with your kids or just want to take a break from Lima's everyday life, there are some really nice places to do that.

Read more... (Parks and Gardens in Lima)

Starting at Larcomar, Av. Larco with Malecon de Miraflores up to the district of Magdalena del Mar. Along Miraflores "malecon" (coastal strip/street) you find a small oasis with many pleasant parks joining each other to a green stripe following the coastal line. The view over the Pacific Ocean is stunning. On clear days you can see the whole bay from Chorrillos in the south right up to Callao in the north. Here you find nice green areas, a few playgrounds and a good spot for families.

These are some of the parks: The Parque Salazar with the famous modern shopping and entertainment center "Larcomar" and a playground, Parque del Amor (Park of Love), a beautiful small park dedicated to all lovers with nicely decorated mosaic walls, Parque El Faro with its lighthouse overlooking the Pacific Ocean and the best place to watch the famous paragliders of Miraflores, Parque Raimondi with its huge green areas and a playground for the kids inviting for a break and of course the Skate Park with a half pipe for skaters and one for mountain bikers.

Top

The Parque de la Amistad is the great park in Santiago de Surco, a popular place with young and old. One of the main attractions is an original steam locomotive from 1926. Like in the old days visitors can enter an old train station, decorated with accessories from Peru's train history, buy a ticket and climb onto one of the three open wagons. The journey takes you 550m through the 30,000m² park passing all the highlights: An artificial lagoon (where you can rent a small pedal boat) or the copy of a Spanish Arc, the "Arco de la Amistad". The original Moorish arc constructed in 1924 on the Av. Leguía, today's Av. Arequipa, was a present from the Spanish residents living in Peru.

After your train ride just relax in the beautiful surroundings on one of the benches in front of the Cultural Center or do some souvenir shopping. And if your kids still hadn't enough you find a playground just at the entrance of the 'Parque de la Amistad.

Av. Caminos del Inca with Calle Las Nazarenas, Surco, Lima

Tue to Sun 09.00 am to 09.00 pm

Top

In May 2007 a water and light show called the Circuito Magico del Agua (The Magic Water Circuit) was inaugurated in the Parque de la Reserva. The Magic Water Circuit has the Guinness Book record for the largest fountain complex in the world, displaying 13 distinct fountains and many are interactive. All of the fountains are illuminated at night, many with continuously changing color schemes. A colorful laser light program synchronized with classical and Peruvian music makes the fountains sparkle and shine as the water flows in unique patterns and shapes.

In summer at daytime the kids will enjoy playing in the fountains and as soon it's getting dark they will be amazed by this truly magical experience. Fun for the whole family!

Next to the Estadio Nacional (National Stadium)
The park is located between the Paseo de la Republica and Av. Arequipa, City Center, Lima

Wed to Sun & Public Holidays 04.00 pm to 10.00 pm

Entry fee: S/. 4.-

Top

Adjacent to downtown Lima you find the Parque de la Exposición, also known as Parque de la Cultura or Gran Parque de Lima, an oasis of peace and tranquility amidst Lima's noisy and hectic hustle and bustle. An ideal place to take the family. You can enjoy the newly renovated Museo de Arte with its beautiful gardens, numerous pavilions, theaters and stages, restaurants and food vendors, monuments, fountains, a small pond with paddle boats and a Japanese garden with koi ponds. The park houses regularly fairs and festivals, often showcasing arts and crafts, foods and cultural events from other parts of Peru. There is lots of stuff to entertain your kids with including sort of a mini fairground.

At weekends the numerous stages and the atrium are used for all kinds of performances: from puppeteers to theatre plays and musicals.

Paseo Colon with Av. Garcilaso de la Vega block 15, City Center, Lima

Daily 08.00 am to 10.00 pm

Top

Museums for Kids in Lima:

Lima is home to a wide range of different museums. A visit to one of these numerous museums mustn't be boring. Actually spending an hour or two there can not only be educational, but exciting and fun as well. Choosing the right museum for you and your family depends on you.

To help you choose the right one, we have created a great overview of the museums in Lima and also compiled a special selection of some museums we think that are suitable and also interesting for kids:

Read more... (Selection of Museums for Kids in Lima)

Read more... (Museums in Lima - Overview)

Top

Theaters and Circuses for Children in Lima:

La Tarumba was founded in 1984 with the idea to combine theater, circus and music but at the same time educate and entertain. A great success: the Tarumba is the most recognized "Circus Theater" in Peru. Today the Tarumba presents yearly two amazing, creative and innovative shows that are definitely worth a visit for young and old.

Pataclaun was born more than 10 years ago in Lima when a group of anxious university students performed a play on how to manage a theater. Nowadays, grown up and much more professional, they present innovative and entertaining clown performances in a well equipped theater (even if it doesn't look like from the outside) and other stages in Lima.

The "Kusi Kusi Teatro de Titeres" is the most significant and respected marionette theater in Peru. Vicky Morales, the director of the Kusi Kusi, shows lovely plays mostly on Sunday mornings at the Cabaña in the Parque de la Exposición. With an enormous dedication to this kind of theater she offers wonderful workshops for children, teens and adults. For more info check the Web page of the Kusi Kusi.

Other fun things to do with Kids & Children in Lima:

Minimundo is Lima in a small format displaying the capital's most important buildings and places in a miniature version. This mini city is the first one of its kind in Peru and a nice place for a short family visit. The small city in the big metropolis consists of more than 150 model architectural structures and has a population of around 1200 small citizens. Only about 400 miniature vehicles are circulating on Minimundo's streets, so you won't find traffic jams.

Among many other attractions you find of course the Plaza de Armas, Lima's main plaza with the Cathedral, Archbishops Palace, the Municipality and the Government Palace. Other important structures on display are the Church and Convent of San Francisco, the Desamparados Train Station, the Peruvian Congress, Plaza Grau with the Justice Palace and the Art and Italian Art Museum, the University Park, the National Stadium, the Parque de la Reserva, Plaza San Martin, the Paseo de Aguas in Rimac, the Ovalo Gutierrez, Barranco's main plaza and Jorge Chavez International Airport.

Av. Salaverry block 17, Jesus Maria, Lima

http://www.minimundo.pe/

Tue to Fri 03.00 pm to 08.00 pm - Sat, Sun and Public Holidays 11.00 am to 08.00 pm

Entry fee: S/. 8.00

Top

One of the highlights of a visit to Callao is a boat trip to the islands offshore. Discover the 'Mysterious Island' of San Lorenzo, The Island of Death 'El Frontón' and the Palomino Islands with their unique wildlife. Boats depart daily in the morning from the piers of La Punta and Callao. You need to book a tour in advance at one of the numerous travel agencies or at the tourist booth of the Municipality of Callao!

Depending on the tour you choose, the trips takes around 4 hours and are great fun for the whole family!

Read more... (The Islands of Callao)

Top

The Peruvian-Japanese Planetarium Mutsumi Ishitsuka is the biggest and most advanced planetarium in Peru. Enjoy a your time learning more about the Peruvian sky, its celestial alignment and the planets.

The Water Park & Hotel is the first of its kind in Peru. Around one hour from Lima's city center you find a nice recreational center with sun all year round, pools, slides, shows, games and lots of other fun activities for the whole family. If you are staying at the hotel entrance to the water park is free.

Lima's Daytona Park is one of the biggest theme parks in Peru and is located within the Hipodromo of the Monterrico race track. Kids and adults alike will enjoy a day at this (for Lima standards) huge amusement park. For the smaller ones you find train rides, carousels, ball tents, boat rides and several jumping castles. The older kids enjoy the video game section, the Laser Quest, bumper cars, the Skate Park, Nascar, Max 5 and Indy cars to name just a few. Spread around the whole park are refreshment and food stands, selling all the yummy unhealthy stuff like burgers, sandwiches, fries and ice cream.

Av. El Derby, Gate 4 Hipódromo de Monterrico, Surco, Lima

Mon to Thu 12.00 pm to 23.00 pm, Sat and Sun 10.00 am to 23.00 pm

Entry fees: Range from S/. 25.00 to S/. 35.00

Top

To the south and east of Lima you find many recreational centers allowing families to get out of the city for a few hours and enjoy the countryside without being a member in one of the fancy clubs. Most offer lots of green areas, a restaurant, pools, family entertainment, games and a small zoo with local animals.

Recommended places are among others the Granja 21 in Cieneguilla, Campestre Palermo as well in Cieneguilla and the Fundo Querencia in Lurin.

http://www.granja21.com/

http://www.restaurantpalermo.com/

Top

Arcade games are very popular with children in Peru. Places to entertain your kids with video games and other electronic games can be found in every shopping mall. Look out for Coney Park or Happy Land.

Top

The food in Peru is excellent, but in case your children don't like it they won't starve to death. The offer of fast food chains in Lima ranges from Mac Donald's, Burger King and Dunkin Donuts to Pizza Hut, Papa John's, China Wok and KFC. Around town there are also numerous very good small "restaurants" selling great sandwiches and of course Peru's famous chicken. And for dessert try an ice cream at the Gelateria Laritza or 4D. Both have several locations in the city including some in the big shopping malls.

Top